How to grow a basil plant

Table of Contents

– Is it better to grow basil inside or outside?
– How do I keep my basil plant alive?
– Can you grow basil indoors?
– How do you grow potted basil?
– Does basil need a lot of sun?
– What should I plant next to Basil?
– What herbs Cannot be planted together?
– Is Basil a good companion plant?
– Should you let basil flower?
– How long does a basil plant live?
– How do you know when basil is ready to harvest?
– When should I start pinching Basil?
– Does basil regrow after cutting?
– Is it OK to eat basil after it flowers?
– What do I do if my basil is too tall?
– How do you trim basil so it continues to grow?
– How do you harvest basil without killing the plant?
– Should I cut back Basil?
– How often should Basil be watered?
– How do you care for basil from the grocery store?
– Why are my basil stems Woody?
– Can you bring Basil back to life?

Is it better to grow basil inside or outside?

While basil is a commonly grown herb outdoors, this easy-care plant can also be grown indoors. In fact, you can grow basil inside much the same as you would in the garden. This wonderfully fragrant herb can be grown for use in the kitchen, making aromatic oils, or simply for aesthetic purposes.

How do I keep my basil plant alive?

Keep the soil of your basil plants slightly moist at all times. Depending on how much sun your basil gets, you might need to water your basil plant every 1-2 days. But make sure that the pot has good drainage, because soggy soil can lead to rotting roots.

Can you grow basil indoors?

Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors, providing you can give it enough light. Alternatively, basil does exceptionally well under lights also, and with a regular compact fluorescent bulb, you can grow enough basil to keep your kitchen stocked all year round.

How do you grow potted basil?

Try them more like 6 to 8 inches apart. Basil is prone to fungus, so keeping airflow between plants is important. Make sure your pot has plenty of drainage and that you use high-quality potting soil. Basil doesn’t like to be too wet, so you want to keep your soil moist, not soggy.

Does basil need a lot of sun?

Basil grows best with at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.

What should I plant next to Basil?

Basil can be planted next to some flowering herbs, like chamomile, chives, and oregano, which increase the strength of the essential oils in their herb garden neighbors. This makes basil more flavorful in culinary applications and effective in the garden as a pest deterrent.

What herbs Cannot be planted together?

You can grow herbs in pots together as long as you remember two rules: avoid mixing those that like plenty of water (such as chives, mint, chervil, coriander, Vietnamese coriander) with those that like a well-drained soil (such as rosemary, thyme, sage, bay, and oregano).

Is Basil a good companion plant?

Basil makes a great companion plant because it attracts butterflies to your garden and repels many harmful insects. It is said that basil repels aphids, asparagus beetles, mosquitoes, tomato hornworms and white flies. Basil is also reputed to slow the growth of milkweed bugs.

Should you let basil flower?

If you are cultivating basil strictly for its leaves, it is best to remove the flowers. Or, you can also sprinkle them on a salad or over pasta to enliven the dish because, yes, basil flowers are edible. They also make great tea! You can expect the blooms to taste similar to the leaves, but with a milder flavor.

How long does a basil plant live?

Basil may survive for two years before replanting in warm climates. An indoor basil plant with full sun and steady warm temperatures may last longer as well. Basil plants are sensitive to cold weather and frost.

How do you know when basil is ready to harvest?

When to harvest: Basil is ready for harvest 50 to 60 days after planting. Pinch out leaves as you need them; regular harvest will keep plants growing strong and prevent flowering When a branch has 6 to 8 leaves, harvest all but the first set of leaves. This will prompt new growth.

When should I start pinching Basil?

Basil plants initially grow one central stem. Once they are reach 6-8 inches tall, pinch the central stem back by half and about ¼ inch above the leaf axils. This will force the plants to branch and grow more leaves. As the plants keep sending out new branching stems, continue to pinch them back in the same manner.

Does basil regrow after cutting?

When you clip basil stems back to a fresh set of leaves, you force those leaves to grow, doubling the basil produced on that stem. And as those stems grow, you can pinch them back and double their production – it’s exponential!

Is it OK to eat basil after it flowers?

All parts of the basil plant are edible, including the flowers, leaves and stems. Moreover, all parts of the plant remain edible even after the basil plant flowers. Once the basil flowers, the taste typically becomes more bitter. The basil flower heads produce seeds, which can be collected and grown next year.

What do I do if my basil is too tall?

If the basil plant is growing vertically, pinch the leaves from the top to encourage lateral growth. Use the pinched leaves or dry them, so there’s no waste. Basil grows quickly, so even if you don’t want to use the leaves right away (gasp!), keep trimming back the plant when it gets large and bushy.

How do you trim basil so it continues to grow?

How do you harvest basil without killing the plant?

Should I cut back Basil?

Prune regularly for the best flavor. About every four weeks, prune basil back to just above the bottom two sets of leaves. If the plant is allowed to flower, it will lose flavor.

How often should Basil be watered?

Watering Established Basil Plants
The top should feel cool and dry, while the bottom should be cool and moderately damp. In the ground, this is a bit harder to determine but the plant needs deep watering at least once per week in full sun situations where the soil drains well.

How do you care for basil from the grocery store?

As with most container plants, you’ll need to continue to water regularly (probably once every two or three days) and make sure to keep the soil just-moist. Do not let the soil dry out between waterings, and don’t overwater either — you don’t want it soaking wet, just damp.

Why are my basil stems Woody?

Woody basil plants simply mean that the plant is protecting itself from the dipping temps. If you bring it inside, give it plenty of light. Production will slow in the winter, but you should still be able to harvest some delectable fresh basil leaves to enliven your winter meals.

Can you bring Basil back to life?

Thankfully, they often recover very well, even when it looks like your Basil plant is dying. Water your Basil plant thoroughly to help revive it. Once the plant has perked up and new foliage is growing, you can place your plant back in direct sunlight and resume normal care.